President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigerian journalists must be sensitive to what the country is going through, and avoid anything that would exacerbate the situation, and further inflame passions and emotions.
Buhari said this in his message on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, observed globally every May 3.
In a statement by his media aide, Femi Adesina, the President said he recommits to freedom of the press, and urges media professionals to wield freedom responsibly, and without licentiousness.
“Feedom of the press is an irreducible minimum in a democracy that would flourish, adding that freedom must, however, be used responsibly,” Buhari said.
“That everything is permitted does not mean that there are no rules of correctness, particularly in a polity seriously challenged as ours now. The media must be sensitive to what we are going through as a country, and anything that would exacerbate the situation, and further inflame passions and emotions, should be avoided.
“The media needs to ensure that while informing, educating, entertaining and setting agenda for public discourse, it does not encourage incendiary words and actions that could further hurt our unity in diversity.
“Licentious freedom is different from freedom with responsibility, and charges the Nigerian media to embrace the latter, rather than the former.”
Buhari said he would continue cooperate with the media to discharge its duties, in line with the theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day, ‘Information as a Public Good.’
